54 patients with Q-wave myocardial infarction (42 male, 77.8%) were enrolled to the study. During 72 hours after Q-wave myocardial infarction documentation all subjects were immediately dispensed into two groups, 27 persons in each depending on a daily dose of atorvastatin. The patients of the first group were taken a conventionally high dose and the second group were taken a low dose of the medicine (>40 mg or ≤40 mg daily, respectively). Transthoracic echocardiography and MMP-3 and -9 measurements by ELISA method were performed before the administration of atorvastatin and every 3 months during 1 year of the follow-up period. The analysis of the data obtained has shown that atorvastatin reveals a dose-dependent effect in reducing the MMP-3 plasma level; while its effect on the MMP-9 concentration has demonstrated a stable tendency. However, a favourable effect of atorvastatin on circulating markers of biomechanical stress does not depend on the initial cardiovascular risk, localization of myocardial necrosis, coronary artery atherosclerotic lesion severity, and frequency of performing coronary intervention.
Key words: Q-wave myocardial infarction, atorvastatin, metalloproteinase, pleiotropic effect, treatment.
